BAGNERES-DE-BIGORRE • Briton Simon Yates won the 12th stage of the Tour de France yesterday, a mountainous 210km ride from Toulouse, as the main title contenders stayed quiet in the first Pyrenean climbs of this year's race.

With an individual time trial scheduled for today, none of the top guns attacked, and 40 riders broke away from the peloton.

France's Julian Alaphilippe retained the overall leader's yellow jersey with a 1min 12sec advantage over defending champion Geraint Thomas of Wales.

Yates, Gregor Muehlberger of Austria and Spain's Pello Bilbao were alone in front at the top of the last ascent of the day, the Hourquette d'Ancizan (10km at 7.5 per cent), staying ahead in the final descent into Bagneres-de-Bigorre.

The former took the final bend first and, with only 100 metres left, held a decisive advantage in a three-man sprint with Bilbao finishing second and Muehlberger third.

In contrast to his twin brother and Mitchelton-Scott teammate Adam, Yates has no ambitions in the general classification this year after finishing a disappointing eighth in the Giro d'Italia.

The spotlight will switch back to the overall contenders in today's 13th stage, when Thomas will look to increase his lead over his main rivals in the 27.2km time trial in Pau.

"We were expecting something to happen on the final climb, especially with the gap at four minutes to the break but nothing materialised," the Team Ineos rider told ITV4.

"Everyone is mindful of the next three days, which are going to be big. I'll go all out in the time trial and see where it puts me."

Separately, Chris Froome was upgraded from second and officially declared the 2011 Vuelta a Espana winner, after Juan Jose Cobo's three-year doping ban was confirmed following a failed appeal.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE